Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 8, Issue, 11, pp. 22056-22062, November, 2017 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES OF FAMILY CONVOLVULACEAE, FABACEAE AND AMARANTHACEAE IN RAJOURI DISTRICT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR Pallavi Shrikhandia1., Pourush Shrikhandia S.P2 and Sanjay Bhatia3 1,3Department of Zoology, University of Jammu, Jammu 2Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2017.0811.1191 ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: The present study aims to deal with impact of invasive alien plants species of families Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae and Amaranthaceae in Rajouri district (J&K, India) with background Received 17th August, 2017 information on habit and nativity. A total of 07 invasive alien plant species have been recorded, Received in revised form 21st which include Ipomoea carnea (Jacq.), Ipomoea pes-tigridis (Linnaeus), Ipomoea purpurea (L.) September, 2017 Roth, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, Cassia tora (Linnaeus) Chenopodium album Accepted 05th October, 2017 (Linnaeus), Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. The result reveals that most species have Published online 28th November, 2017 been introduced unintentionally through trade, agriculture and other anthropogenic activities. There Key Words: is utmost need of proper methods for early detection to control and reporting of infestations of spread of new and naturalized weeds. Invasive alien species; Rajouri district; Nativity; IAS; CBD Copyright © Pallavi Shrikhandia., Pourush Shrikhandia S.P and Sanjay Bhatia, 2017, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. INTRODUCTION The present study aims to act as a foundation stone for the advanced studies in invasion ecology and biology and would An alien species “refers to a species, subspecies or lower taxon, serve a benchmark for future assessment of extent of invasion introduced outside its natural past or present distribution; not only in this biodiversity rich region of J&K state but also includes any part, gametes, seeds, eggs, or propagules of such the rest of the country. species that might survive and subsequently reproduce” (CBD, 2002). These organisms are sometimes called “exotic”, “non- MATERIALS AND METHODS native” or “non-indigenous species.” Study Area Invasive alien species are a growing threat throughout the Jammu and Kashmir is the northern most state of India. It is world, causing losses in biodiversity, changes in ecosystems located between 32° 17’ to 37° 5’ north latitude and 73° 26’ to and impacts to economic enterprises such as agriculture, 80° 30’east longitude, occupying central position in the Asian forestry, fisheries, power production and international trade. continent. Those alien species that become established in a new environment, then proliferate and spread in ways that are It has three distinct climatic regions viz. arctic cold desert areas destructive to human interests are considered “Invasive Alien of Ladakh, temperate Kashmir valley and sub-tropical region of Species”(IAS).”Invasive alien species have invaded and Jammu. There is a sharp rise of altitude from 1000 feet to affected native biota in virtually every ecosystem type on earth. 28,250 feet above the sea level within state’s four degree of These species have contributed to many hundreds of latitude. The climate varies from tropical in Jammu plains to extinctions. The environmental cost is the irretrievable loss of semi-arctic cold in Ladakh with Kashmir and Jammu native species and ecosystems. Most nations are already mountainous tracts having temperate climatic conditions. The grappling with complex and costly invasive species problems. annual rainfall also varies from region to region with 92.6 mm Addressing the problem of invasive alien species is urgent in Leh, 650.5 mm in Srinagar and 1,115.9 mm in Jammu. A because the threat is growing daily, and the economic and large part of the state forms part of the western Himalayas. environmental impacts are severe. *Corresponding author: Pallavi Shrikhandia Department of Zoology, University of Jammu, Jammu Pallavi Shrikhandia., Pourush Shrikhandia S.P and Sanjay Bhatia., Studies on The Impact of Invasive Alien Species of Family Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae And Amaranthaceae In Rajouri District of Jammu And Kashmir The present work is carried by the author in the Rajouri district for invasive plant species. Periodic survey were conducted of which is situated in the west of Jammu division. It is during premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. All bounded by Poonch district in the north, Jammu district in the the available plant species were recorded and collected. south, Udhampur district in the east and Pak occupied Kashmir Observations were made regarding occurrence, distribution of (Mirpur area) in the west. It is located in the foothills of Pir plant species, colonization modes and damage or changes to the Panjal Range. The general elevation of the district is in the ecosystem caused by the invasive plants. Field observations range of 562-4800 m above mean sea level. Rajouri is the regarding individual plant species, site where it is growing and district headquarter, which is 160 km from Jammu, the winter the potential damage it is causing to the ecosystem was capital of Jammu and Kashmir. This part of Jammu region recorded in the field notebook and photography of it was done encompasses extraordinary biotic communities which is with Sony Sony DSC-T20 digital still camera. attracting people from different regions and is being promoted Preservation and Herbarium Records: The plant species as a tourist destination. collected during every field trip were carried to the laboratory With the operationalization of improved roads and highways and were properly pressed, dried and properly preserved and and better connectivity, the influx of traders, tourists, herbarium sheets were made using conventional methods of businessmen has increased manifold, thereby raising the threat processing and drying. of invasive alien species even more into this Pir Panjal range. Identification: After an extensive review of literature on global The main objectives of the present study are invasive species (Mooney and Drake,1987; Heywood, 1989; Cox, 1999, 2004; Cracroft and Francesca, 1999; D’Antonio and 1. Documentation and inventorisation of the alien flora of Vitousek, 1992; Drake et al.,1989; Randall et al.,1997; Rajouri district. Huxel,1999; Jenkins, 1999; Lonsdale, 1999; Mooney, 1999; 2. To record their origin, spread, introduction pathway and Elton, 2000; Mooney and Hobbs, 2000; Almeilla and Freitas, invasion status. 2001;Cowie, 2001; McNeely et al., 2005) and of India and 3. To spread public awareness on the impact of invasive their spread based on history, species origin, species behaviour alien species on environment and economy. and field observations, a list of 07 species plant invasives Extensive survey was carried out in Rajouri district during belonging to families Convolulaceae, Fabaceae and 2012 -2013. The field studies for documenting the spread of Amaranthaceae was prepared. The websites were also invasive alien species belonging to families Convolvulaceae, examined extensively for background information. Of these, Fabaceae and Amaranthaceae in Rajouri district of Jammu some species may have invaded only a restricted region, but Division were conducted in all the seven tehsils of the district have a huge probability of expanding and causing great viz. Rajouri, Nowshera, Kalakote, Sunderbani, Koteranka, damage. Existing literature and information from web based Thannamandi and Darhal. data, online identification system and ISSG database were used to determine the alien origin of the species. The present investigation aims to identify and document the invasive alien species present in the Rajouri district of the The identified voucher specimens were mounted in the Jammu region of J&K state. During the course of field study herbarium file of the size 41.5 cm x 28.5 cm along with the authors have selected different tehsils and blocks of Rajouri photographs and deposited in the museum of the Department of district viz; Rajouri, Nowshera, Kalakote, Sunderbani, Budhal, Zoology, University of Jammu, Jammu. Each plant species was Thannamandi, Darhal, Koteranka and Manjakote and the provided with its botanical name, author citation and brief following steps were followed: visit to study sites, sample morphological description. Besides, help from other agencies collection, preservation and identification. During this period were also undertaken. enquiries were conducted from farmers and agriculturalists of each site about the invasive biota. Every site was divided into RESULTS AND DISCUSSION different land use types, and the division was made as follows: In view of the immediate importance of Invasive Alien Species, agricultural fields, forest areas, roadsides, fallow land, along there is an apparent need for a regional and national authentic the banks of water bodies, residential areas, low land, water database for monitoring the spread and impact in various bodies, waste lands, etc. regions and for devising appropriate management strategies. Each study